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Former Yankees pitcher Trucks dies at 95

Right-hander spent final season of 17-year big league career in Bronx in 1958

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By Bryan Hoch
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MLB.com |

TAMPA, Fla. -- Virgil Trucks, who had the distinction of being the oldest living Yankees player, died on Saturday evening at his home in Calera, Ala. He was 95.

The right-hander enjoyed a 17-year career in the big leagues and made 25 relief appearances with the Yankees in 1958, his last season in the Majors, going 2-1 with a 4.54 ERA.

He is also the last pitcher to throw a complete-game no-hitter against the Yankees in the Bronx, which he did on Aug. 25, 1952, with the Detroit Tigers.

Trucks threw two no-hitters during the 1952 campaign, but remarkably went just 5-19 that season before winning a career-best 20 games in 1953.

According to the Detroit News, Trucks was hospitalized on Thursday morning with what doctors said was pneumonia. He had five children, several grand- and great-grandchildren and is survived by his fourth wife, Elizabeth Ann.

Trucks finished his career with a 177-135 mark and a 3.39 ERA. He pitched 2,682 1/3 innings in his career, striking out 1,534 batters.

He played 12 seasons with the Tigers and also spent time with the White Sox (three years), the Kansas City A's (two), and the St. Louis Browns (one). Trucks was twice an All-Star (1949 and '54) and finished fifth in the Most Valuable Player Award voting in '53.

Services for Trucks will be held on Thursday at Charter Funeral Home in Calera. Trucks served with the Navy and will be buried with honors at the Alabama National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be made in Trucks' name to either the St. Jude's Children's Hospital or the Amazing Grace Worship Center (P.O. Box 157, Saginaw, AL 35137).

According to the Yankees, available records now indicate that 93-year-old Rugger Ardizoia is the oldest living Yankee.

Ardizoia made just one Major League relief appearance in his career, pitching two innings on April 30, 1947, in a 15-5 Yankees loss to the Browns in St. Louis.

Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter at @bryanhoch. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.